FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT SEPT 22 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 16519 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc y N o. A 78- 588- 582 A Z A J A N E L I D Z E , N O D A R J A N E L I D Z E , P e titio n e r s , v ersu s U .S . A T T O RN E Y G E N E R A L , R e s p o n d e n t.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r d o f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 22, 2006) B efo re D U B IN A , M A R C U S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: P e t i t i one rA z aJ a ne l i dz e ( “ J a ne l i dz e ” ) , a n e thni c O s s e t i a n w ho i s ana t i ve and ci t i ze n o f G eorgi a, al on g w i th h erhu sband, P et i t i on erN od arJa nel i dzeAlthough Janelidze also sought and was denied CAT re lief below, in her appe llate brief , 1 she does not argue the CAT c laim at all. Acc ording ly , that claim is deeme d abandone d. Sepulveda v. U.S. Att’y

Gen. , 401 F.3d 1226, 1228 n. 2 ( 11th Cir. 2005) (aba ndonment decision). Although Janelidze initi ally testified that the first incident occur red in 1990, duringthe 2 IJ ’s questioningreg ardingdiffering dates that she provide d for theseincidents in her a pplication, Jane lidze te sti fi e d th at sh ec ould not re c all thedate s. 2 ( “ N oda r ” ) , a l s o ac i t i z e n of G e or gi a , s e e k r e vi e w of the B oa r d of

I m m i gr a t i on A p p e a ls ’ ( “B I A ” ) d e c is io n a f f irm in g th e I m m ig r a tio n J u d g e ’s ( “I J ” ) d e n ia l o f th e ir appl i c a t i on f

ora s y l um . J a ne l i dz e a r gue s tha tthe I J e rr e d a s am a tt e rof l a w i n not gr a nt i ng he ra s y l um a nd w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l . J a ne l i dz e c ont e nds tha ts he

1 pr ope r l y e s t abl i s he d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on ba s e d on both he rO s s e t i a n e thni c i ty a nd on he ri m put e d pol i t i c a l opi ni on r e l a t i ng t o the c i vi l s truggl e s be tw e e n O s s e t i a ns a nd G e o r g ia n s . I . B AC KG RO UN D J a ne l i dz e s oughtt o e s t abl i s h pa s tpe r s e c ut i on a nd f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on base d u po n tw o i nci dent s thatoccurre d i n G eorgi a. S he t es t i fi ed thatshe began w o rk in g a s ate le p h o n e o p e r a to rin th e G e o r g ia n g o v e rn m e n t p o s t o f f ic e in 1 9 9 0 . D ur i ng the c our s e of

he rw ork, J a ne l i dz e l i s t e ne d t o c onve r s a t i ons of G e or gi a ns w ho w ant ed t o rai d O ss et i an vi l l ages . S he pass ed the i nform at i on thatshe hea rd al on g t o a fr i end, D avi d, w ho then p as se d the i nform at i on on t o h erfa m i l y s o that th e y c o u ld s e e k s a f

e ty . J a ne l i dz e t e s t i f

i e d tha ti n 1990, w he n s he w a s r e turni ng hom e f r om w ork, 23

tw o m e n m e the ra nd a s ke d he rt o t e l l the m e ve ry thi ng tha ts he ha d he a r d dur i ng these conv er sa t i on s. W hen she t ol d the m en thatshe di d n otkn ow anythi ng , they hi tJa nel i dze tw i ce . Ja nel i dze t es t i fi ed thatshe di d n otkn ow w ho the m en w er e b u t th a t th e y w e r e in u n if o rm a n d s h e th o u g h t th a t th e y w e r e f r o m th e K G B . T h is a c c o u n t d if

f e r s s ig n if ic a n tly f r o m th e a c c o u n t p r o v id e d in J a n e lid z e ’s d e c la r a tio n . I n he rde c l a r a t i on, J a ne l i dz e s t a t e d tha ttw o m e n s t oppe d he ri n the l obby , a s s he w a s g o in g to w o rk , in th e s u m m e ro f 1 9 9 7 . H e rd e c la r a tio n s ta te s th a t th e m e n to ld Ja nel i dze thatthey w er e f rom the M i ni stryof S t at e S ec uri ty a nd thatthey w ant ed t o t a l k t o he r . J a ne l i dz e ’ s de c l a r a t i on f ur the rs t a t e s tha tthe m e n a s ke d he ri f s he h a d a n y c o n n e c tio n s to th e O s s e tia n r e b e ls a n d in f o rm e dh e rth a t s o m e o n e h a d to ld the m tha ts he w a s pa s s i ng i nf orm a t i on t o the r e be l s . A c c or di ng t o he rde c l a r a t i on, th e m e n h it h e rin th e f

a c e tw ic e . J a n e lid z e te s tif

ie d th a t th e s e c o n d e v e n t o c c u rr e d d u r in g th e f o llo w in g f

a ll. A c c or di ng t o he rt e s t i m ony , tw o di f f e r e nt m e n c a m e t o J a ne l i dz e ’ s hom e a nd de m a nde d “ a l l the i nf

orm a t i on, othe rw i s e the y [ w oul d ki l l he r ] . ” T he m e n pl a c e d a pi st ol t o Janel i dze’ s hea d and then i n h erm ou th. T hey bea tJa nel i dze before l ea vi ng . H ow ever , thi s a cc ou ntal so di ff er s f rom Ja nel i dze’ s dec l ar at i on . T here , Ja nel i dze s t at ed thatthe s a me tw o m e n f r o m th e p r io rin c id e n t c a m e to h e rh o m e . J a ne l i dz e a l s o s t a t e d i n he rde c l a r a t i on tha t , a f t e rputt i ng the gun t o he rhe a d, one4

of the m e n s a i d, “ [ H ] e w a s s i c k of O s s e t i a ns f

uc ki ng up hi s c ountry a nd tha the w oul d l i ke t o ki l l [ the m ] a l l . ” ( R . 596) . S he a l s o s t a t e d i n he rde c l a r a t i on tha tthe gun w a s pl a c e d i n he rm outh a nd s he w a s t ol d tha ts he w oul d be ki l l e d unl e s s s he t ol d he ra tt a c ke r s the na m e s of the O s s e t i a n r e be l s i n K us t a vi . A ga i n, thi s a c c ount d i ffers si g n i fi can t l y fro m Jan el i d ze’ s t est i m o n y. F i nal l y, Ja nel i dze t es t i fi ed thatshe qui ther j ob and st ay ed atho m e f or a c oupl e of m onths a f

t e rthe l a s ti nc i de nt . S he the n r e turne d t o the s a m e j ob a nd w orked u nt i l she l ef

tthe coun tryi n 1 99 9. Ja nel i dze’ s husband l ef tG eorgi a aye ar e a r l i e r , i n 1998. T he y l e f tbe hi nd J a ne l i dz e ’ s thi r t e e n y e a rol d s on, w ho r e m a i ns w ith h e rs is te rin G e o r g ia . A l tho ug h the IJfoun d thatJa nel i dze’ s t es t i m on y di ff er ed att i m es fr om her d e c la r a tio n a n d th e in te rv ie w th a t s h e c o n d u c te d w ith th e a s y lu m o f f ic e r , th e I J d id no tspec i fi ca l l y m ake acr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on . T he IJconcl ud ed thatJa nel i dze f a ile d to c a rry h e rb u r d e n o f p r o o f in e s tab lis h in g p a s t p e r s e c u tio n o raw e llf o u n d e d f e a ro f f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n . T h e B I A a f f irm e d th e I J ’s d e c is io n . I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W he n the B I A i s s ue s ade c i s i on, w e r e vi e w onl y tha tde c i s i on, e xc e ptt o the e x te n t th a t th e B I A e x p r e s s ly a d o p ts th e I J ’s d e c is io n . A l N a jja rv . A s h c r o

ft , 257 F . 3 d 1 2 6 2 , 1 2 8 4 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 1 ) . I n s o f a ra s th e B I A d o e s n o tr e n d e ri t s o wn5

o p in io n , b u t rath erad o p ts th e I J’s o p in io n , th en w e, in es se n ce , rev iew th e I J’s d e c is io n . D -Muhum e d v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 3 8 8 F .3 d 8 1 4 , 8 1 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) . B ec ause the B IA adop t ed the IJ ’ s opi ni on and i ss ued i t s ow n o pi ni on , w e r evi ew b o th d eci si o n s. T he I J a nd the B I A ’ s l e ga l de t e rm i na t i ons a r e r e vi e w e d de no vo . Mo h a m m e d

v . A s h c r o

ft , 26 1 F . 3d 12 44 , 12 47 -48 (11 th C i r. 20 01 ). F ac tual d et erm i n at i o n s are rev i ew ed u n d er th e su b st an t i al -ev i d en ce t est , an d w e m u st a f f i rm the de c i s i on be l ow i f i ti s s uppor t e d by r e a s onabl e , s ubs t a nt i a l , a nd p r o b a tiv e e v id e n c e o n th e r e c o r d c o n s id e r e d a s aw h o le . A l N aj j ar , 257 F . 3d at12 83 -84. T he subst ant i al evi dence t es ti s def er ent i al and d oes notal l ow re w e ig h in g th e e v id e n c e f r o m s c r a tc h . M

az ar i egos v . O

f f i c e of U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 241 F . 3 d 1 3 2 0 , 1 3 2 3 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 1 ). T o rev erse an IJ’ s factu al fi n d i n g s, w e m u st f in d th a t th e r e c o r d n o t o n ly s u p p o r ts r e v e r s a l, b u t c o m p e ls it. Me ndoz a v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 32 7 F . 3d 12 83 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 03 ). I I I . DI S CUS S I ON T o q u a lif y f o ra s y lu m , a n a lie n m u s t b e a“r e f u g e e .” 8 U .S .C . § 1 1 5 8 ( b ) ( 1 ) . A “ r e f uge e ” i nc l ude s a ny pe r s on w ho i s unw i l l i ng t o r e turn t o, a nd i s unabl e or unw i l l i ng t o a va i l hi m s e l f of the pr ot e c t i on of

, the c ountry of

hi s na t i ona l i ty or w he r e he l a s thabi tua l l y r e s i de d, be c a us e of pe r s e c ut i on oraw e l l - f

ounde d f e a rof6

pers ec ut i on on ac coun tof ra ce , re l i gi on , nat i on al i ty, m em bers hi p i n a part i cul ar soci al grou p, or po l i t i ca l op i ni on . 8 U . S . C . § 1 10 1(a) (42)(A ). T h e b u r d e n o f

p r o o f is o n th e a lie n to e s tab lis h th a t s h e is ar e f u g e e . 8 C . F . R . § 208. 13( a ) . “ T he a s y l um appl i c a ntm us te s t abl i s h e l i gi bi l i ty f ora s y l um by offe ri ng ‘ cr edi bl e, di re ct , and speci fi c e vi dence i n the re cord. ’ ” For gue v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 40 1 F . 3d 12 82 , 12 87 (11th C i r. 20 05 ) ( ci t at i on om i tt ed). A n al i en m ay est ab l i sh el i g i b i l i ty fo r asyl u m i f sh e sh o w s th atsh e h as su ffered “ p ast p e r s e c u tio n ” o rh a s a“w e ll- f o u n d e d f e a r ” o f f u tu r e p e r s e c u tio n .” 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 . 1 3 ( a ) , ( b ) . Ne i th e rth e I NA n o rth e r e g u l a t i o n s d e f i n e “ p e r s e c u t i o n , ” b u twe have st at ed thatpers ec ut i on i s a n extre m e c on ce pt , re qu i ri ng m ore than a few i s ol a t e d i nc i de nt s of

ve rba l ha r a s s m e ntori nt i m i da t i on, a nd tha tm e r e ha r a s s m e nt d o e s n o t a m o u n t to p e r s e c u tio n . Se pulv e da v . U

. S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 401 F . 3d 1226, 1231 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . A n ap p lic a n t m u s t a ls o d e m o n s tr a te th a t h e rf e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n is s u b je c tiv e ly g e n u in e a n do b je c tiv e ly r e a s o n ab le . I

d. E st abl i shi ng a nexus betw ee n the s t a tut or i l y l i s t e d f

a c t ora nd the f

e a r e d pe r s e c ut i on r e qui r e s the a l i e n t o pr e s e nt s pe c i f i c , de t a i l e d f

a c t s s how i ng agood r e a s on t o f e a rtha ts he w i l l be s i ngl e d out f o rp e r s e c u tio n o n a c c o u n t o f th e s ta tu to r ily lis te d f

a c to r . I d. T he a s y l um appl i c a nt doe s notne e d t o s how tha ts he w i l l be s i ngl e d outf orpe r s e c ut i on i f

( s ) he7

e s t abl i s he s a“ pa tt e rn orpr a c t i c e ” i n hi s orhe rc ountry of “ pe r s e c ut i on of

agr oup of pers on s s i m i l ar l y s i tuat ed” a nd a r ea sonabl e f ea r of per se cut i on on ac coun tof a p r o t e c t e d g r o u n d b a s e d o n h i s /h e ri n c l u s i o n i n th a tg r o u p . 8 C. F. R. § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( b ) ( 2 ) ( iii) . C re di bl e t es t i m on y of the appl i ca ntm aybe suff i ci entt o sust ai n thi s burden o f p r o o f w ith o u t c o rr o b o r a tio n . 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 3 ( a ) ; D -M uh um ed , 388 F . 3d a t 8 1 8 - 1 9 . C o n v e r s e ly , “th e I J ’s [ o rB I A ’s ] e x tr e m e ly d e ta ile d a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility de t e rm i na t i on a l one m a y be s uf f i c i e ntt o s uppor tthe I J ’ s de ni a l of a n a s y l um se eker ’ s app l i ca t i on . ” D -M uh um ed , 388 F . 3d a t818- 19. H ow e ve r , “ the I J [ or B IA ] m ustoffe r s peci fi c, cogentre as on s f or an adverse cr edi bi l i ty f i nd i ng . ” For gue , 401 F . 3d a t1287. I n D ai l i de v . U . S. A t tor ne

y G e n. , 387 F . 3d 1335, 1343 (11th C i r. 20 04 ), w e a ff i rm ed the B IA ’ s a dv er se cr edi bi l i ty det erm i nat i on , w hi ch w a s b a s e d u p o n its f

in d in g th a t th e a lie n ’s te s tim o n y c o n f lic te d w ith h is a n s w e r s to i n t erro g at o ri es, affi d av i t , d ep o si t i o n , an d o th er d o cu m en t ary ev i d en ce. A n IJ m u st m a k e ac le a n d e te rm in a tio n o f c r e d ib ility . Y

ang v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 418 F . 3d 1198, 1201 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . I n Y ang , a l th o u g h th e I J r e f

e rr e d t o th e p e t i t i o n e r ’ s c l a i ms a s a“r id ic u lo u s f

ab r ic a tio n ,” a n d s ta te d th a t h e rte s tim o n y w a s “e x tr e m e ly i ncon si st entand [m ade] absol ut el y no sense w hat soever , ” w e c on cl ud ed thatthe IJ h a d n o t m a d e ac r e d ib ility f in d in g . I d.Tothee xtent th at th eIJ may havemadean adv ers ec re dib ility ruling , th at c on c lus ion

is 3 easy to affir m, espec ially

since Janelidze gave four different year s, rang ing f rom 1990 to 1998, for the inc idents in which she wa s threatened and dif fering accounts of thoseincidents. J anelidze also variously

stated that two cousins, two nephews, and two brothers were killed by

8 M or e ove r , a n a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i on doe s nota l l e vi a t e the I J or the B IA ’ s duty t o con si der other e vi dence produ ce d b y an asy l um appl i ca nt . ” For gue , 40 1 F . 3d at12 87 . W hen an asy l um appl i ca ntprod uces no evi dence other th a n h e rte s tim o n y , a n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n is a lo n e s u f f ic ie n t to s u p p o r t th e d e n ia l o f

a n ap p lic a tio n f

o ra s y lu m . I

d. O n the othe rha nd, i f the appl i ca ntprod uces other e vi dence of her per se cut i on , i ti s notsuff i ci entfor the IJ o rth e B I A to r e ly s o le ly o n a n a d v e r s e c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n in th o s e in s ta n c e s . I d. A s a n i ni t i al m att er , al tho ug h Janel i dze a rgues thatthe IJerre d i n m aki ng an advers e c re di bi l i ty det erm i nat i on , i ti s notcl ea r thathe m ade s uch a rul i ng , m uch l e s s a n e rr one ous one . C e r t a i nl y , the I J de s c r i be d J a ne l i dz e a s a“ c onf us e d a nd preoccupi ed, t ense w i tness , ” not ed thatthere w er e s ub st ant i al i ncon si st enci es i n h er te s tim o n y th a t d id n o t “b o d e w e ll” f o rh e rc r e d ib ility , a n d f

o u n d th a t it w a s “q u ite i m p l au si b l e” fo r h i m t o b el i ev e th atsh e feared retu rn i n g t o G eo rg i a. N ev erth el ess, th e s e s ta te m e n ts d o n o t a m o u n t to th e “c le a n ” c r e d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n w e r e q u ir e . A c c or di ngl y , w e a ddr e s s J a ne l i dz e ’ s pe t i t i on f orr e vi e w a s i f

the r e ha d be e n no a dve r s e c r e di bi l i ty de t e rm i na t i on. 3the Georg ian military . 9

C on strui ng the evi dent i ary r ec ord as aw ho l e, w e c on cl ud e thatsubst ant i al evi dence s up po rt s the IJand the B IA ’ s rul i ng s. T he fa ctthatJa nel i dze w as beat en a nd l a t e rthr e a t e ne d a tgunpoi nti s tr oubl i ng, butt a ke n i n c ont e xt , the s e f a c t s do not com pel re vers al of the deci si on s bel ow . A l tho ug h the C ou ntryR eporti nd i ca t es th a t G e o r g iap r e s e n ts d if f ic u lt liv in g c o n d itio n s f o rO s s e tia n s , n o th in g in J a ne l i dz e ’ s e vi de nc e r e qui r e d af i ndi ng tha ts he ha d be e n s i ngl e d outf or m i s tr e a tm e ntba s e d on he re thni c i ty . J a ne l i dz e ’ s t e s t i m ony , a l though i nc ons i s t e nt w i th h erdecl ar at i on , di d n oti nd i ca t e thatthe m en w ho att ac ked h erever m e n tio n e d h e rO s s e tia n e th n ic ity . T h e e v e n ts d e s c r ib e d b y J a n e lid z e a m o u n t to ha r a s s m e nt , notpe r s e c ut i on. F ur the r , the r e c or d doe s note s t abl i s h a ny a c tua l or im p u te dp o litic a l o p in io n , n o re v id e n c e lin k in g h e ra c tio n s to ap o litic a l o p in io n . J a ne l i dz e ’ s t e s t i m ony i ndi c a t e s tha ts he pr ovi de d i nf orm a t i on t o he rr e l a t i ve s a nd t o h erfr i end D avi d, no ti n an att em ptt o further a n O ss et i an re bel l i on , bu ti n an att em ptt o p rot ec ther r el at i ves f rom G eorgi an att ac ks. G i ven thatJa nel i dze p r o v id e d d if

f e r in g a c c o u n ts o f

h e rc o n v e r s a tio n s w ith th e s e m e n – o n e a c c o u n t in w hi c h ne i the rhe re thni c i ty nora ny c onne c t i on t o O s s e t i a n r e be l s i s m e nt i one d a nd o n e a c c o u n t in w h ic h s h e is th r e a te n e d b e c a u s e o f h e re th n ic ity a n d c o n n e c tio n to th e r e b e ls

– th e r e c o r d d o e s n o t c o m p e l th e c o n c lu s io n th a t th e I J o rB I A e rr e d in10

d e te rm in in g th a t J a n e lid z e h a d f a ile d to m e e t h e rb u r d e n o f p r o o f . A d d itio n a lly , J a n e lid z e ’s a n d h e rh u s b a n d ’s a c tio n s a f te rth e s e in c id e n ts le a d s u s to b e lie v e th a t th e irf e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n w a s n o t s u b je c tiv e ly g e n u in e . J a ne l i dz e r e turne d t o the s a m e j ob tha tbr oughtthe unw a nt e d a tt e nt i on, a nd r e m a i ne d i n G e or gi aa tl e a s tone y e a ra nd pos s i bl y ni ne y e a r s a f t e rthe l a s ti nc i de nt w i tho utany f

urther occurr ence of threa t s or vi ol ence agai nsther. M oreover, J a n e lid z e ’s h u s b a n d c a m e to th e U n ite d S ta te s ay e a rp r io rto h e ra rr iv a l a n d d id n o tr e q u e s ta s y l u m. I n ac a s e i n w h i c h th e p e t i t i o n e rd i dn o tl e a v e h e rh o me c ountry f orthe U . S . unt i l a l m os tam onth a nd aha l f a f t e rs he ha d be e n s hota ta nd experi ence d n o further di ff i cul t i es du ri ng thatt i m e per i od , w e f ou nd tho se fa ct ors r e le v a n t in d e te rm in in g to u p h o ld th e I J ’s ru lin g . Si lv a v . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 448 F . 3d 12 29 , 12 38 (11th C i r. 20 06 ). Ja nel i dze a l so l ef ther m i no r s on i n G eorgi a. W hen f a mi l y me mb e r s , i n c l u d i n g mi n o rc h i l d r e n , h a v e b e e n l e f tb e h i n d i n th e h o me c ountry a nd r e m a i n the r e unha rm e d, w e ha ve f ound thos e f

a c t or s r e l e va ntt o the a s y lu m a n a ly s is . See R ui zv . U . S. A t t ’ y G e n. , 44 0 F . 3d 12 47 , 12 55 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 6 ) . I n s um , J a ne l i dz e f

a i l e d t o m e e the rbur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng pa s tpe r s e c ut i on o r a w el l -fo u n d edfear o f fu tu re p ersecu t i o n . B ecau se Jan el i d ze fai l ed t o est ab l i sh e l i gi bi l i ty f

ora s y l um , i tf

ol l ow s tha ts he f

a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h e l i gi bi l i ty f or11

w ith h o ld in g o f

r e m o v a l. N

aj j ar , 25 7 F . 3d at12 92 -93. T he re cord do es no tcom pel r e ve r s a l of

the I J ’ s a nd B I A ’ s rul i ngs . A c c or di ngl y , w e de ny the pe t i t i on f or r e v i e w. P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.